The Hime Trap
by TheREALladyofthewest
Summary: Post Canon: Fooling around by the well, the last thing Kagome expected was to be transported further back into the past where she meets a demon lord who is notorious for conquering "filthy ningen," but realizes he's fallen in love with one and needs all the help he can get. Kagome must help her father-in-law learn to woo a woman, or risk her husband never being born.
1. Chapter 1

**The Hime Trap**

 **AN: I do not own Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, Inupapa. Rumiko Takahashi does and - *breaks off into sobs***

Kagome Higurashi considered herself to be a generally intelligent girl. Granted, she had her moments - but overall, she wasn't an absolute idiot.

As she stared at her new husband, who seemed to be cringing in anticipation of her reaction to what he had just said, she was forced to reevaluate her prior convictions. She had married Inuyasha. She was a complete and utter moron.

"Inuyasha…. SI-"

Watching in delight, as he flinched at the mere sound of her voice, Kagome decided that treating *her* pet dog like one of Pavlov's would suffice in this case.

Growling irritably at the cowering hanyou, she stormed away muttering under her breath about 'stupid dogs who called their wives fat.'

It didn't take her long to end up back at the well that had been the catalyst to her entire future, and the very reason she had met her husband, although she would have liked to refer to him as an ex at the moment.

"Kagome-sama!"

Turning, Kagome couldn't restrain her smile at the sight of Rin tearing through the trees with a new silk kimono clutched in her tiny fingers.

"SESSH-"

"-omaru sama brought it for you?" She finished softly and Rin beamed, nodding enthusiastically.

"I didn't know Onii-san was visiting you today?" Kagome said, wracking her brain to try and remember if, the last time he had visited, Sesshomaru (while staring disgustedly at her) had said anything about returning so soon.

"He said he didn't want Inuyasha-sama to know, so he wouldn't have to see him." Rin recited matter of factly and, in that moment, Kagome had to admit that she agreed strongly with Sesshomaru.

"Kagome-sama, would you like to play a game with Rin?" The little girl asked bashfully and Kagome realized that Jaken must have been a rubbish play mate for her all these years. Struck with a sudden vision of Jaken setting a game of Monopoly on fire because he didn't win, screaming 'HOW DAREEEE YOUU,' at the heavens, she fought to stifle a laugh.

"Of course Rin-chan! I would love to. How about we play a game of tag?"

Rin gave a delighted nod, looking enthralled as Kagome began to explain the rules to her. After confirming that she understood everything, Rin launched forwards, tapping Kagome lightly on her hip and streaking away, giggling madly.

Laughing indulgently, Kagome feigned great exhaustion while she chased Rin, revelling in the girl's excited yells. After finally catching her, Kagome sat down on the edge of the old well that had brought her there and pretended to catch her breath as Rin pouted at having been caught again.

When she came to tag her again, Kagome attempted to slide away from her, her foot catching on a root near the base of the well, and was thrown off balance.

Teetering on the edge for what seemed like ages, Kagome had a split second view of Rin's terrified face and saw her lips move as she screamed for Inuyasha. Then she was falling backwards, mouth open in a shrill cry as an eerily nostalgic blue light enveloped her just as her husband tore through the trees frantically, roaring her name.

Kagome was gone.

AN: I know this is short but its solely introductory and I don't want to jump into the action first thing. Plus, it's my first inuyasha FF so bear with me plz and thx


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Okay, so this is probably hopefully maybe sort of kind of where the actual story begins.

Note: This fic contains

platonic!SessKag THEY ARE NOT A COUPLE IN THIS FIC AND WILL NOT BE. I plan to write a SessKag but this is not it

The main romantic pairing is

Izayoi/Inu No Taisho and there's some InuKag in between.

Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, Inupapa *voice wavers* Izayoi, Inukimi *sniffles*...*whispers* Jaken *sobs*

* * *

Kagome caught a flash of red as Inuyasha bound towards the well screaming her name, and had a split second view of him leaping in after her before everything faded to bright white and she couldn't see anything. Although it was only mere seconds, it felt like ages before she forced her eyes open and found herself lying on the floor of the old well, grimy and alone.

"Mama?" She called out weakly, coughing as she registered the dirt in the air around her.

"Gramps?" She tried, pulling herself to her feet and brushing off her clothes.

Glancing upwards, Kagome froze as she realized one pivotal detail.

She wasn't in Edo. She wasn't back home. So where the - Inuyasha would be proud of what she was about to say - fuck was she?!

Spotting a vine hanging over the side of the well, Kagome grasped it tightly and began to haul herself out, groaning at the exertion.

Was Inuyasha right? Would he really put out his back carrying her? Her mind wandered back to his accursed words, the source of their very argument. "Goddamn it wench, be careful would ya?! I ain't about to put my back out carrying you around all day."

That disgusting dog.

No - of course not. Of course he wasn't right. He was Inuyasha, he didn't even know what right was. She, however, was truly no longer in her prime. Those years of comfort after Naraku had taken a toll on her hard earned cardiovascular fitness.

Tossing herself back over the edge of the well, Kagome put her hands on her knees in an effort to catch her breath. She really needed to get back into shape.

This place. It - it looked like Edo. Atleast what Edo would have looked like if it was all trees and shrubbery, that is. But where had the village gone?

She wasn't in the future, and she wasn't in her time, she felt her heart jolt as she realized she had begun to see Inuyasha's era as her own. Thinking of her hanyou husband filled her with a deep sense of longing and she thought back to the last time she had seen him. He had been coming after her the whole time - trying to apologize? That was just like Inuyasha too. Say something stupid and then try to backtrack with a measly excuse for an apology. Remembering his terrified expression as he leapt into the well after her, Kagome fervently hoped that he was alright. It was obvious that the well hadn't taken him along for this particular ride, and she could only pray that he wasn't worrying too badly.

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Kagome could have kicked herself. He was Inuyasha. Of COURSE he was worrying. Probably erratically, at that. Pacing like a caged tiger, screaming at anyone foolish enough to approach him. Repeatedly attempting to leap into the well. Cursing furiously when it still wouldn't let him through.

" _Goddamn it! Why won't this fucking thing let me through?! WORK, DAMN IT. KAAAGOOOMEEEEE."_

She could just picture him and felt a surge of affection travel through her before a ball of lead settled in her stomach. What if she never saw Inuyasha again? After years of pining, she had finally gotten what she had wanted - the chance to spend the rest of her life with him and now she might lose it?!

Suddenly filled with rage, Kagome turned to the old well with fire in her eyes.

"YOU THINK THIS IS SOME KIND OF JOKE? WELL GUESS WHAT. IT'S NOT FUNNY. FIRST YOU SEPARATE US FOR THREE LONG YEARS AND NOW WHEN I'VE FINALLY GOTTEN INUYASHA BACK - MARRIED HIM - YOU TAKE HIM AWAY AGAIN?!" Her screams only grew in volume as she continued, pulling her foot backwards to aim a hard kick at the wooden structure before her.

"I'VE GOT NEWS FOR YOU BUD, I AINT FUCKING LAUGHING!" She roared before freezing as a multitude of things hit her at once.

1\. She spent way too much with Inuyasha.

2\. Somebody had just spoken from behind her.

"Onna... What on earth are you doing?"

* * *

Sesshomaru, Lord of the West, considered himself to be a fairly intelligent yōkai - daiyōkai.

However, he was forced to reevaluate his convictions upon being faced with his runt of a brother - no - half brother.

How intelligent could he be if he had made the mistake of actually stopping to listen to whatever the half breed had to say? It couldn't be anything important, he rarely ever spoke of anything of consequence.

"Kagome is missing -" Ah, so that was the source of this issue. The half breed couldn't find his miko. Well perhaps she too had realized what an errant fool he was and disappeared. The fate of spending a lifetime with his brother was not one Sesshomaru wished upon anyone. Ningen, yōkai, or hanyou. Regardless, it wasn't his concern.

"Sesshomaru-sama-"

Was that -

"Kagome-sama got swallowed up by the well when she was playing with Rin! Rin has to find her to make everything alright. It's all Rin's fault, if she wasn't so careless-"

He groaned internally when Rin's words registered. She was at the age where everything had to be so much more dramatic than it was in actuality and Sesshomaru found himself visiting her less and less often in an effort to avoid outbursts like this one.

As his ward stood sniffling before him, Sesshomaru realized that this had indeed become his concern. Anything that upset Rin had to be dealt with immediately. ...he wouldn't have a ward of the West unnecessarily troubled...and that too by the trials and tribulations of a hanyou and his miko mate who couldn't seem to stay with each other no matter how hard they tried.

"Rin." He cut her off while she was in the middle of describing how she would rather die than be in this situation and how nobody understood how hard it was to be her.

"Swallowed by the well you say?" He asked and Rin's affronted look vanished to give way to a nod of confirmation.

Memories flooded him, ones that caused his yōkai to swirl in irritation as he recalled the thorn that had incessantly pricked his side in his youth.

"Cease your disgusting whining Inuyasha." He snapped, and if he wasn't so irritated he might have felt the urge to smirk at his younger brothers shocked expression.

"This Sesshomaru knows where your mate has vanished to. But rest assured - the onna is well protected. By one far more accomplished than you or I."

* * *

Swivelling around, Kagome's eyes were drawn to the top of a hill where a figure stood, tall and proud.

Her eyes struggled to adjust to the glare of light shielding the man, she assumed from his voice, from her view.

"Damn," his voice sounded again, "everybody's taking a shot at me today. I can feel it, my ears are burning."

She squinted and could just make out the outline of what looked like a man being overtaken by a violent sneeze.

And then everything seemed to move in slow motion as Kagome watched him lose his footing on the slope and come tumbling down the hill with a clumsiness she didn't know it was possible for anybody besides her to possess.

As he came to a halt near her feet, Kagome took a good look at the man and felt her world slip out from under her as she stared into a pair of rich golden eyes, eerily reminiscent to those that ran in her husband's family. With jagged blue stripes gracing both his angular cheeks and the same envious silver hair thrown into a high ponytail, it was with a jolt that Kagome realized just who she was staring at.

"You will not breathe a word of what you just saw or you will not breathe. Period."

Arguably the most powerful demon to have ever lived.

Inu No Taisho.

* * *

AN: A little bit longer - again we're still getting started here. Leading into the real good stuff.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Welllllll here's the third chapter! Love me some DogDad

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN SESSHOMARU. NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WISHED I DID.

* * *

When Myoga had described his master, the great Inu No Taisho, this wasn't precisely what Kagome had pictured. In appearance, yes, he was exactly what she had imagined. Tall, handsome, his strength observable in his physique. But had she expected him to be clumsy enough to be knocked down a hill from the force of a sneeze? Well...in a word, no.

"Onna -"

"Kagome."

The clearing around them seemed to plunge into silence while they both took in what she had just done. She had just cut him off. Him. The powerful Dog General - Inu No Taisho, conquerer of kami only knew how many yōkai.

"Well... Kagome," his voice took on a sneering edge as he narrowed his eyes at her dangerously, "which one is it going to be?"

"Oh you mean - am I not going to tell anyone about your little accident there- uh I mean what accident? Tell people what? There's nothing to tell." Kagome hastily amended as his warning snarl reached her ears.

Nodding stonily, he glared at her one last time before he turned to leave. Kagome had just mustered the courage to call out to him when he stopped and turned around, with an expression on his face that told her exactly where Sesshomaru got his curiosity from, and regarded her evenly.

"Onn- Kagome. Why have you been scent marked by someone who smells like me?"

* * *

2 weeks, 5 days, 18 hours, 34 minutes and 15 seconds. In the last 3 years it had been Sesshomaru's longest Inuyasha free period since before the Naraku debacle. All wasted. He had now spent more time with his brother than he would liked within a century. And what time spent better than watching the runt pace erratically before stopping to sniff the air hopefully and whining like a kicked puppy when he realized his mate still hadn't returned.

Disgusting.

"How utterly pitiful! Such a disgrace to Sesshomaru-sama's noble blood!"

Jaken. Filled with irritation at his situation and, though he would never admit it, the imp's words (only he was allowed to ridicule Inuyasha), Sesshomaru began to seek an appropriately sized rock that would allow Jaken to truly feel the extent of his displeasure. He found his problem solved when he felt a light tap on his shoulder and turned to find Rin holding out a smooth pebble.

"Just throw it Sesshomaru-sama. Right at Master Jaken's head! That'll show him!" Her voice took on a wistful note near the end and Sesshomaru regarded her cooly for a moment before surmising that his younger brother's homicidal tendencies rubbing off on the melodramatic youth could never amount to anything good.

With a flick of his wrist, Sesshomaru watched in secret glee as Jaken yelped and went flying forwards, only to land at Inuyasha's feet. Inuyasha who, in true Sesshomaru fashion, merely kicked the imp out of his way while he continued to pace. He could hear Rin's pealing laughter from behind him and felt a moment of true concern over the level of delight present there.

"Ugh," Jaken groaned, sitting up wearily. "Now I know the two of them are related for sure. Their impulsive tendencies seem to be a gift from their sire."

Stiffening at the mention of his father, Sesshomaru growled quietly, the sound carrying across the clearing. Immediately falling silent, Jaken began his usual grovelling for forgiveness while Sesshomaru settled back against a tree.

Hmm.. Impulsive tendencies from Father? Jaken had no idea.

* * *

"Smells like you?"

Kagome's heart began to thud ominously as the daiyōkai slowly made his way back towards her, head cocked to the side in a manner that would have been endearing if she hadn't been afraid that he would slit her throat open.

"Did I stutter?" He asked quietly, a dangerous smile curving over his full lips, sharp fangs peeking out to remind her of who she was questioning.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she breathed, her mouth suddenly dry as she realized she was in very real danger.

She gulped as he crossed his arms over his broad chest and raised a brow at her, before leaning forwards until she could see the swirls of deep amber in his golden orbs.

"Try me, little one."

Giving a resigned sigh, Kagome squeezed her eyes shut as she realized she had no other option than to tell him the complete truth. She would die if she didn't and maybe even if she did.

"Okay..but just remember that you asked for it."

* * *

He should have known better. Love. Marriage. Happiness. For a hanyou? Never.

It was his own fault anyways. For letting his guard down. There was no way someone as amazing, as beautiful, as kind as Kagome could be his. There was no way the kami would allow someone like him to sully her purity. Her worth. She was so much better than him, in every way possible - and now she was gone.

After defeating Naraku, he thought that he had lost her for good. In those years - he had been ready to live out the rest of his pathetic existence with only memories of her as a companion. Her scent, her laugh, the way she would always forgive him, would never flinch away from his touch - him, a hanyou? She had shown him true love and attachment and for that he would be thankful to her always. If her happiness and safety was in her time, he was ready to let her go, and the day that death came for him, he would step into its arms like an old friend - because he knew Kagome was safe and well cared for.

But this time - that wasn't the case. He had no fucking idea where she was, how she was, was she safe? Was she - was she even alive? Filled with a searing pain at the very thought, he snarled, banishing the idea to the back of his mind.

She was a fighter, his Kagome. She would be fine. She was fine. And if Sesshomaru wasn't bullshitting, which he truly didn't seem to be doing this time, then she was safer wherever she was than she would be anywhere else. Including with him. While the idea wasnt pleasing in the slightest, that there was someone out there who could protect Kagome better than he could, it was a comforting one for the moment.

* * *

"You're my what?!"

"Son's wife. Daughter-in-law, to be exact."

"Oh ho ho. Sesshomaru? And a human? MIKO?! That little bastard, I'll never let him hear the end of it. This is going to be so good."

Kagome thought she could never feel anything but concern for herself when around Inu No Taisho. She had proven herself wrong. His demeanour had changed so suddenly that she now feared for his mental wellbeing.

"No! Oh kami no! Not Sesshomaru!" She shrieked when she realized what he had just said. Oh no, she felt sick.

"Not Sesshomaru? Listen kid, I know he's a bit of a social well.. how do I put it nicely - but he's not that bad either." Throwing an arm over her shoulder in a familiar gesture, he gestured that she walk with him while he attempted to explain his ice lord son's personality.

"Your other son!" Kagome burst out, still disconcerted over the Inu No Taisho's sudden display of paternal warmth towards her.

"My..other..son? I don't have another son." He said gently, as if he was the one dealing with a crazy person.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome readied herself to look, if possible, crazier than she already did.

"That's because he hasn't been born yet."

"Hasn't been born yet?" The Inu No Taisho asked, his face scrunching into a replica of the expression Inuyasha would make when she attempted to explain exams and school systems to him.

"That's right. Inu-"

"Really Father? Another ningen? That too, a miko? And this one thought you could stoop no lower in your taste in females."

Kagome would recognize that icy tone anywhere.

Sesshomaru.

Turning slowly, she was greeted with the sight of what looked to be a teenage Sesshomaru, roughly around Inuyasha's age when they had started to hunt the jewel shards. Although his age hadn't softened his demeanour any. The future Lord of the West still glowered at her as if she were the dirt beneath his boots.

Some things never changed.

"Silence Sesshomaru. You've been given quite some leeway recently pup, and it's time you learn your place."

Evidently, she hadn't matured any because Kagome still had to fight the urge to laugh loudly in Sesshomaru's face as he was duly chastised by his father.

His father. She watched the play of emotions on Sesshomaru's face carefully as she noted his irritation with his father's scolding, anger at her, but still the awe in his gaze as he regarded him.

It was then she realized that seeing emotion on Sesshomaru's face was a feat in itself and understood just how deeply his father's loss had affected him; her heart bled for the boy who had looked up to his father as a guide and protector and had lost him so soon.

"Speaking of women, where's that terrifying mother of yours?"

Sesshomaru had a mother? Well - it sounded stupid to put words to the idea, but she had never really pictured Sesshomaru with a mother, father, a family. It showed her just how little she knew about the daiyōkai that had both saved and threatened her life on occasion.

Sesshomaru glared at his father as his words registered and she watched, enthralled, as the Inu No Taisho laughed at his son's angry huffing. This was a real man. She had only ever heard stories of the brave warrior, the noble leader - but had never thought of the man behind the title. the father, the husband, the lover - speaking of love, where was Inuyasha's mother?

"Mother is in the palace. She sends her regards," Sesshomaru said stiffly and Kagome noted the way his father's features became more serious, sensing his pup's unhappiness.

"Sesshomaru, I know you're upset by your mother and my decision to part ways-" he began softly, one clawed hand stroking Sesshomaru's silver hair soothingly.

"No, where on earth would you get an idea as such?" Sesshomaru continued, his gaze glued to the ground, avoiding his father's piercing stare.

"Your displeasure is only normal. It's natural for a pup to be upset by his sire and mother's parting. Why when I was a pup-"

"Father. This one no longer wishes to converse on the subject." As young as he was, his tone left no room for argument.

Sighing, and running his hand over his son's head a final time, the Inu No Taisho nodded.

"I understand."

Kagome had never felt more awkward in her life. Well that was a lie - Inuyasha kissing Kikyo had certainly made her wish for death rather than to be present..she would say it was almost a draw between the two.

"Well uh... my lord -" she began tentatively, the words feeling odd on her tongue.

"If you won't call me Father, I'd rather you call me by my name than my title. Touga."

"Oh! Um well ... Do you by any chance know an Izayoi?"

Before she could process what she might have done wrong, there was a sword pointing at her throat and a snarl etched on a previously friendly face.

"How do you know of her?!"

Aaaaaannnddd this wasn't going according to plan. At all.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: HERE IS ANOTHER CHAPITRE!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sesshomaru, Inu No Taisho, Izayoi, Kagome, Inuyasha - do you get the point?

* * *

Face freezing in acute horror, Kagome took several hasty steps backwards. This really wasn't going according to plan. Not that there had been a particular plan in place to begin with, but had there been one - this certainly wouldn't have been part of it.

"Now wait just a minute," she began soothingly, holding her hands out in a defensive gesture, "we can talk about this."

But Touga didn't seem inclined to talk anymore. Suddenly, it was no longer surprising to Kagome that Inuyasha was the way he was. It wasn't his fault. Purely genetic.

"I've humoured you long enough, onna. You will tell me how you know of Izayoi!" His voice took on a snarl towards the end that had Kagome quaking in her boots.

A quick glance behind him told her that, far from being vindicated or even frightened by his father's display of temper, Sesshomaru looked almost exasperated.

"Father -"

"Who sent you?! Was it that snake Ryuukotsusei?! If you approach Izayoi, if you so much as breathe in her direction - you won't like the consequences, consider this my first and final warning."

"I uh... no...I - I wasn't going to hurt her!" Kagome cried, wondering whether her distraction tactic back home would work here.

"I just heard a lot of good things about her and I just - I just wanted to meet her." Forcing tears into her eyes, Kagome watched in smug satisfaction as the angry snarl was wiped off of Touga's face and replaced with a look of horror.

"Oh - oh no. Uh please - FUCK. Don't cry, please. I just - I was afraid you'd try and hurt Izayoi and - oh kami stop crying - I hate the smell of salt water!"

Evidently, female tears were a weakness that ran in the family. The only one immune to them was Sesshomaru, probably because he literally couldn't care less whether someone was upset or delighted. Unless that someone was Rin.

"Father, mother said you weren't to curse around me." Sesshomaru said stiffly from behind his father, a small note of reprimand in his tone as he stared reproachfully at his sire.

"Yeah? Well then cover your FUCKING ears Sesshomaru, what do you want me to say?!"

You could call her crazy but Kagome could have sworn she saw a ghost of a smile on Sesshomaru's face as his father continued to panic at her show of fake grief.

"Listen Kagome -" he began softly, a purring note present in his voice as he attempted to coax her into happiness again.

"I thought I was 'onna?!'" She snapped back indignantly and watched him blink in surprise before he was back on the offensive, trying to charm her again.

"Of course not. You're Kagome. Cute little Kagome," he continued, patting her head gently. Kagome resisted the urge to swat at his hand in anger.

"Now, you wanted to see Izayoi? Do you know Izayoi?" His arm wound around her shoulders again as he continued to stroke her hair as he had Sesshomaru's.

"No but I just wanted a chance to speak to her -" Kagome began only to be cut off, this time by Sesshomaru.

"Father can take you to her. What with all the time he spends hovering around her fortress - I dare say he's memorized the location by this point." Sass?! And Sesshomaru?!

His momentary smugness vanished quite quickly though when his father's displeased gaze snapped over to him.

"Insolent as he is - the pup is correct. I could take you to Izayoi. You see, I am the Inu No Taisho, lord of the west, and this is my domain. There isn't an inch of this land I am not fully familiar with-"

"Father, there was a tengu disruption in the lowland swamp grounds." Sesshomaru interrupted smoothly.

"The what? Where the fuck is that?"

Snorting, Kagome hid her face behind her hand as the Inu No Taisho glared furiously at his son, realizing he'd been had. Sesshomaru, for his part, looked remarkably unaffected by the situation and instead chose to stare pointedly at his father, as if to insinuate that when he would become ruler of the west, he would never make such a mistake.

"Very funny, you ungrateful runt." He muttered angrily before turning his attention back to Kagome.

"Izayoi is the hime of Musashi -"

"And you're in love with her." She finished with a small smile. How romantic.

"I - what - uh -no! Keh! With her?!" He spluttered and Kagome's smile vanished. Inuyasha would never understand just how much like his father he was.

"I'm not in love with that stubborn little ningen!" Touga snapped irritably and Sesshomaru nodded emphatically from behind him. Kagome barely managed to resist the urge to sink her fist into Sesshomaru's devastatingly perfect face and forced a smile back to her lips.

"Oh? So you wouldn't be bothered by her marrying Takemaru, Lord of Setsuna?"

"TAKEMAWHO?! LORD OF WHAT?!" Having just turned away from her, he was forced to swivel back around at an alarming speed, barely managing to stay upright. His eyes blazed a vibrant gold, fists clenched and Kagome wondered whether this was what Inuyasha's obvious jealousy had looked like whenever Koga had approached her.

As if realizing himself, Touga quickly composed himself, his face becoming a smooth mask that would have frightened even Sesshomaru.

"Of course I wouldn't be bothered." He growled stiffly before turning to leave again.

It wasn't long, however before he stopped to turn around again.

"Sounds pretty stupid though. If you ask me. Takemaru. Who the fuck names their kid that? Setsuna? I'll end Setsuna."

...and he wouldn't be bothered? Kagome's smile returned full force as the infallible Inu No Taisho stood facing the woods, mokomoko bristling in irritation while his foot tapped the ground impatiently.

He was so jealous.

"And you're not-"

"Jealous?! Keh, of course not. That ningen isn't that special either." He huffed, crossing his arms and looking steadfastly forwards.

"Oh yeah, of course. A regular ningen like that. Nothing special. She's not worth the dirt at your feet." Kagome pushed, and watched in silent glee as Touga's features twitched in silent outrage. Obviously – only he was allowed to throw thinly veiled insults at Izayoi. Of course. Why would it be any different? A glance behind her told her Sesshomaru looked a little bit less disapproving of the new direction the conversation had taken and Kagome resisted the temptation to smack him upside the head.

It seemed that stupidity ran in the family.

"Father, the miko, surprisingly, speaks the truth. This one has been saying for many moons that this hime is beneath you. If you truly must mate again, if Mother failed to satisfy you-"

"Enough Sesshomaru!" All traces of humour had left the Inu No Taisho as he turned to face his son with fire in his eyes.

"Never say such a thing again. Your mother and I parted on common ground. Never blame your mother for my shortcomings. A woman is never obligated to share her life with a man she cares not for. Your mother deserved far more than to spend her days with someone who could not care for her as she merited. She is a strong female, powerful, more so than myself I daresay. Had the title of Inu No Taisho not been exclusive to a male, it would have been hers. Had the choice lain with me of who to bestow the honour upon, it would have gone to her. You, pup, should be proud to have been whelped by one as such."

Kagome's heart leapt into her throat she she listened to Touga speak of Sesshomaru's mother. It seemed, however, that Sesshomaru didn't share his father's opinion of her.

"Proud? Her power, beauty, and wit do not excuse her various shortcomings Father, those which you would never understand." He snarled and Kagome flinched at the rage and raw hurt reflected in Sesshomaru's youthful gaze.

 _He was only a child._

"Sessho-"

"This Sesshomaru can indeed feel pride at the female who whelped him. A mother however? This one has no concept of such a thing, having never had one."

Turning swiftly on his heel, he stormed away into the woods and Touga watched him go with a heavy heart, sensing his pup's distress as it emanated off of him in waves.

"When his mother and I parted ways," he began softly and Kagome's attention was drawn swiftly back towards the daiyokai, "she told him he was old enough to learn to form his own pack, there was no need to hover under her wing any longer."

"...she kicked him out?" she whispered in horror, trying to imagine what it would feel like if her own mother were to do such a thing.

"Er... I have no idea what that means...?"

"How could she do that to her own son? And then she wonders why he doesn't like her? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!" Kagome continued, ignoring Touga's protest.

"What tree?"

"Now she's lonely and wants her son. What goes around comes around, after all!"

"WHAT IS GOING AROUND?! HOW IS IT COMING BACK!?"

* * *

 _AN: Okity dokity artichokities._

 ** _SNEAK PEEK FOR NEXT TIME:_**

"Is that what he told you?" Izayoi said stiffly, her spine straightening in indignation.

"He said that he saved your life-" Kagome began only to be cut off by Izayoi's loud snort of derision.

"Your hero over there fell through my window and managed to set my chambers ablaze. If anyone did the saving, it was me!"

Oh Touga...


	5. Chapter 5

AN: So sorry for how long this took - but University is hard! Also - this chapter goes pretty heavy on angst... ugh I hate myself.

Soundtrack:

Brothers Under The Sun - Bryan Adams

This Land - Lion King OST

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters!

* * *

Sesshomaru didn't return, and, despite Touga's continued reassurance that he would be fine, Kagome couldn't help but worry about him. He had seemed so upset, more than upset, he had seemed hurt. Genuinely. Determined to take her mind off of his older son's distress, Touga began to gently steer her away with promises of going to cajole Sesshomaru later.

"I get the feeling that there's more to this whole 'married to my son business,' than you're telling me." He said softly, golden gaze peering at her guardedly.

They had stopped, on her request to rest for a while in an open clearing that reminded her strongly of the one she had first seen Inuyasha and Kikyo together in. Thinking of the hurt she had felt at that point, the confusion, vulnerability - the all-consuming jealousy she'd felt towards Kikyo was a wonder in itself. Before meeting Inuyasha, she hadn't known she could even experience emotions with that much depth.

"There's so much more," she whispered, in awe of how far she and Inuyasha had travelled together, the roadblocks they had overcome, "much more than I could ever begin to describe to you."

"Try."

That one word seemed to open the floodgates for Kagome and suddenly she needed for Touga to know Inuyasha. Know the son he had given his life for. Prove to him that his sacrifice wasn't in vain, Inuyasha was worth all of that and so much more.

"His name is Inuyasha," she began, glancing upwards to look into Touga's eyes, "and he's the strongest man I've ever met."

* * *

 _"The path I walk is one of supreme conquest..."_

 _"Would you murder me...your own father?"_

 _"Have you someone to protect?"_

 _"I have no need of such a thing..."_

 _"...your own father?"_

Snarling at the memories his father's name brought up, Sesshomaru turned away from the hanyou who was staring expectantly at him, waiting for an answer to his earlier statement.

"Ey bastard! You said you know where that well took Kagome? Well?!"

Choosing to ignore the impertinence in his brother's tone, Sesshomaru sighed deeply, resisting the urge to punch the younger inuyōkai in the jaw.

"You would not be able to fathom a concept as such. This one suggests you leave it be." He ground out, taking pleasure in the anger crossing Inuyasha's face. He was so volatile, easily upset. So much like -

Pathetic. He was pathetic.

"Don't give me that bullshit, Sesshomaru. Tell me where the fuck she is!"

Hidden beneath the anger and dangerous levels of aggression, Sesshomaru could see the worry in the hanyou's gaze. To care for another with such abandon that their lack of presence caused such an upset - deplorable. A weakness that he would never partake in.

"Your mate has been taken to the times in which our father, whose name you so easily sully, walked these lands. She is under his protection now."

Ignoring his spluttering younger sibling, Sesshomaru turned away, needing a moment to put his thoughts into order.

Even dead, speaking of his father never failed to shake the very ground on which Sesshomaru stood.

* * *

"Inuyasha? Dog Demon? What idiot named the poor pup that?"

Kagome rolled her eyes at the immediate interruption, but hadn't expected any less.

"You did." She snapped back and watched as Touga's indignant expression faded into thoughtfulness.

"Hnnn, yeah I guess that's not such a surprise after all..."

Groaning loudly, Kagome pressed her face into her hands. How on earth had this man been the most powerful, terrifying demon around?

"I mean….There's a reason I wasn't allowed to name Sesshomaru..."

"Are you going to listen to me or not?" She growled. Flinching slightly before he could hide it, Touga nodded with an air of regality.

"Hnnn. Continue."

Realizing what she'd have to say next, it was Kagome's turn to flinch as dread welled up within her. She didn't want to have to attack her husband's father - but his reaction to her next words could seal his fate.

"Inuyasha is... He's a half-demon."

She kept her eyes tightly shut in order to avoid making eye contact with the demon that she was sure was incredibly displeased by the news.

"...is that another weird human woman thing you do? The keeping your eyes firmly shut? Where I come from, eye contact in a conversation is pivotal - quite rude of you to just-"

"Wait - I just gave you the most important news of your life and you're just gonna brush it off like that -" Kagome began, shocked by Touga's continued calmness.

"No - the most important news you gave me was that I would have another child. Whether he's a half-demon, quarter-demon, a bloody raccoon dog, it makes no difference to me. He is my son. That is all."

If she thought the words alone would have made her cry, the tone they were delivered in was absolutely devastating to her. Inuyasha would never know how much he meant to his father - even before he had been born.

"My son, Inuyasha, who is his mother?"

Aaaaand this was where things might get a little bit awkward.

"Uh well..."

"Spit it out, would ya?! I have to issue a formal apology to her for royally fucking her over...evidently in more than one way." His brash tone faded to slight amusement at his own pun and Kagome felt her face heat up at the innuendo.

"Why would you have to apologize to her?" She asked, confused by the implication. Myoga had always made it seem that Inuyasha's mother loved his father just as much as he did her. Their relationship, though short lived, had been told to be a happy one.

"For getting her with child when I'm in love wi- infatuated wi- uh well - have an interest for - ... When there's someone else in my life. Whoever she is, she doesn't deserve that." Despite his various hesitations, Touga seemed to eventually find the words he needed to convey his meaning.

Oh. Good. Lord. Kagome felt as if she could laugh and cry. Laugh at his refusal to admit he was so obviously in love with Izayoi, or cry at the fact that he wanted to apologize because he thought he had lain with someone he couldn't give his heart to.

And now he looked like a kicked puppy. Very similar to how Inuyasha had looked when she had informed him that she could not, in fact, make ramen from scratch. It was pitiful. Feeling her heart begin to clench in pity for him, she found she couldn't hold in the news any longer, and if she tried she thought she might explode.

"IT'S IZAYOI." She burst out, waiting for the blinding smiles, the joyful yells. Instead, she found herself being unceremoniously shoved over.

"You know that's a really shitty thing to joke about, you little twerp." Touga growled, struggling to stand from his sitting position, and wincing as he took in the pins and needles in his feet.

Seething with anger of her own, Kagome pushed herself back into a more stable position, glaring angrily up at her father-in-law.

"I'm not lying -"

"AND I KNOW THAT ITS A TAD BIT HYPOCRITICAL FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT BAD JOKES," he yelled dramatically, holding up his hand to silence her, "AFTER ALL IT WAS ME WHO TOLD SESSHOMARU THAT I FOUND HIM IN A TREE AND BROUGHT HIM HOME ONE DAY - Fuck InuKimi was livid about that. Did you know the idiot ran away from home after that? How was I supposed to know the stupid pup wouldn't use his nose to see that our scents are similar?!"

Not even wanting to know how that story had played out, Kagome surged to her feet to plant her hands on her hips angrily and began to stare the Inu No Taisho down in a similar fashion as the glare she used to subdue his younger son.

"Are you really doing this right now?! Why would you even say that to him - no! No! That is not what we were talking about," she growled to herself, wondering how she was supposed to convince him of this.

"Listen to me - Izayoi is Inuyasha's mother. Well - she will be. I am married to Inuyasha, years and years in the future. Now this part - probably going to get me laughed at - I came here through a well. A time travelling well..?"

All traces of humour had vanished from Touga's expression, brows furrowing over his deep golden gaze.

"The future you say?" He questioned softly, although Kagome had the impression that he was speaking more to himself than her. He turned back to look at her again quite suddenly and she froze, wondering what kind of important thing he would say to her.

"How well have I aged?"

"...what."

He wasn't joking.

"That's all you can ask?! You're not even going to doubt my explanation for a second?!"

Touga gave an indulgent laugh before he gently brushed her hair aside, "only humans believe they've conquered every secret of this world we live in. When you've lived as long as I have, you learn one thing – and that is that you know absolutely nothing."

Before she could begin to take in the vast philosophy behind his statement, Touga had moved on as if they had casually been discussing the weather.

"Am I still devastatingly handsome? Do people think **I'm** your brother-in-law? I'm willing to bet Sesshomaru gets called the father-in-law."

She couldn't help it. She laughed. Laughed harder than she had in a while. She could so easily imagine Touga telling people Sesshomaru was his father, while the latter glared icily.

But then she remembered she would never get to see that, and suddenly nothing was funny anymore. This man in front of her, this laughing, loving, _**good**_ man – would never live to see his younger son settle down, never play with him, tease him, be his mentor, never get to **love** him. She wasn't surprised when she felt the sting of tears on her roughened cheeks.

"Kagome?" she felt his clawed hand gently wipe her tears away from her cheeks and could barely make out a soft smile on his face when she looked up at him through a watery gaze.

"I..." she began but found her throat had closed off and she couldn't get the words out no matter how hard she tried.

Touga gave a small chuckle at her apparent struggle before he brought his arms up around her in a comforting embrace, understanding what she couldn't bring herself to tell him.

"I had a feeling." He whispered, resting his chin atop her head and Kagome sobbed. Sobbed for the man Inuyasha would never know, sobbed for the son Touga would never get to raise.

"How does it happen?"

"Ryuukotsusei – Izayoi – Takemaru" she choked out before she began to take deep breaths to attempt to steady herself.

"You were battling Ryuukotsusei," she said in a muted tone, before Touga interrupted her.

"And kicking his serpentine ass, no doubt," he added on with a roguish smirk and Kagome gave a small laugh in spite of herself.

"You managed to seal him away, but not without being severely injured yourself, before you received news that Izayoi had gone into labour."

His expression turned grim as he seemed to connect the rest of the puzzle pieces.

"And naturally – I went to be by her side, but that son of a bitch Takemaru had to throw himself into the mess, didn't he?"

Nodding wordlessly, Kagome blinked away a new wave of tears.

"What about Izayoi? Is she alright?!" His previously dulled eyes burned bright again, the gold in them coming to life with the new fire that raced through him.

"She and Inuyasha survived the fire," Kagome whispered reassuringly.

Touga's entire frame seemed to deflate with his next words, "But Izayoi is only human. Why do I have the sinking feeling that my son spends most of his youth alone?"

"Because he does." She breathed, watching as pain flashed across his features.

"She – she didn't suffer, did she?" A simple enough question, but one that tore Kagome's heart to shreds. He had just found out that he was going to die, and yet his only concern was Izayoi and Inuyasha.

"She was sick, she went peacefully."

"How she must have suffered – alone with a yokai's son to care for. Fuck – the things they must have said to her, done to her." Snarling viciously, Touga slammed his fist into the tree behind him, causing the wood to splinter under the daiyokai's rage.

"And my boy – he can't survive on his own?! He's a hanyou pup in a world full of prideful yokai and prejudiced humans. What is he going to do?! Where the hell is he going to go!?"

Sniffling loudly, Kagome watched him pace erratically, growls tearing from his throat as the situation weighed on him. As he struggled to try and prevent his future family's agony.

"Sesshomaru!" he gasped suddenly, stopping his pacing to look at her again. "Sesshomaru has to -"

Unable to bring herself to speak, Kagome simply shook her head wordlessly, a choked sob breaking out of her when she saw devastation pass over his face. The face of a father who had just learned that his first born would leave his younger brother to die.

"FUCK – That – THAT IDIOT." He roared, clawing through the tree behind him which, unable to withstand the renewed assault, toppled over. "That stupid pup! He – HIS OWN BROTHER!"

Groaning, Touga pressed his face into his hands, cursing softly.

"Why, Sesshomaru – you prideful - it's not his fault," his voice had roughened considerably from all of the yelling and Kagome gathered the fragments of her own heart to try and bring him some form of peace, an explanation for his older son's actions.

"When I was a little girl," she began quietly, placing a gentle hand on her father-in-law's back, "my father died in an accident. On his way to see my newborn brother."

Lifting his head out of his hands, Touga regarded her evenly, his golden gaze glimmering with tears she knew he would fight tooth and nail against shedding.

"For the longest time I hated him. Him and my brother. If he hadn't been coming to see my brother, he would still be with me. We had just had a fight before, and now I wouldn't even get to tell him that I didn't mean all of the horrible things I had said to him."

She was jolted from her reverie by the feeling of Touga's hand covering her own.

"He knew. He knew that you loved him, as he did you."

Nodding softly, she continued, "My Mama told me that too. She said that Papa knew that I was just mad, that I didn't mean any of that. She told me that my father loving my brother didn't mean he loved me any less, and that my father was trusting me to look out for Souta now. Maybe Sesshomaru just needs someone to let **him** know that. Maybe it's time someone tells Sesshomaru that he's still loved as well."

* * *

"Father?"

Still facing away from Inuyasha, Sesshomaru nodded stiffly.

"Yes, Father. _My_ father that died coming to _your_ rescue. _My_ father that –"

There was silence as Sesshomaru broke off. For once, Inuyasha was completely silent as he regarded his older brother.

"Half-breed," Sesshomaru snapped angrily, turning to face Inuyasha again.

"This Sesshomaru has informed of you of your mate's whereabouts. You would do well to refrain from using such a tone with this one again."

Without another word, Sesshomaru stalked off, unwilling to allow Inuyasha to sense the turmoil brewing within him. As he took to the skies, he pretended he didn't have a brother – and that he certainly didn't hear a barely whispered

" _I'm sorry."_

* * *

I know I'm horrible. Also - I didn't include the Izayoi scene in here just because it did not fit at all! So that is for next time!


End file.
